Improvement in rotary sheet-metal-shearing machines



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J. J. LUCAS.

ROTARY SHEETMETAL SHEARING-MACHINE.

No.175,614. Patented.Apri14,18 76.

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J. I. LUCAS.

ROTARY SHEET-METAL SHEARING-MACHINE. ,614, Patented Apri14,1876.

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ROTARY SHEET-METAL SHEARING-MACHINE. No.175,6 14. Patented April 4;1876.

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UNITED STATES PATENT 'Qrrrenz JOHN J. LUCAS, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

lMPROVEM ENT IN ROTARY SHEET-METAL-SHEARING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No 175,614, dated April 4,1876; application filed I February 17-, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J OHN J. Lucas, atresident of Belleville, St. Clair county, State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Sheet-h/Ietal-Gutting Machines,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being bad to the annexed drawing, making part of thisspecification,'in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 Fig.3'afront-end elevation, and Fig. tom view, of the table and gage.

Like letters indicate like parts.

The present invention is designed more especially for cutting heavymaterial, like boilerplate, which is cumbersome to handle, and whichrequires considerable power tocut. To this end it relates to theprovision by which the plate can be cut in different directions withoutbeing required to be turned between the cuttings, and without stoppingor checking the movement of the driving power. It also has reference tothe means used in supporting the work while being cut. It furtherrelates to the cutting mechanism, and the means for adjusting the shearsto each other, both in a vertical and in a lateral direction. It furtherrelates to the mode of operating the supporting table, and to theprovision by which the movement of the table in one direction can bechecked, and in such manner as to enable the table to be readily movedin the contrary direction.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, A represents the frame of themachine, consisting of a bed-plate, a, bed-piece a, two stand ards, a"and a, and an overhanging arm, 41, extending from the standard a forwardover the bed-piece a, and to the front thereof. B B represent a pair ofshafts, arranged one above the other and longitudinally in the frame,and supported in suitable bearings, as follows: The lower shaft B inbearings at the outer end of the bed-piece a and in the standard a, andthe upper shaft B in bearings at the outer end of the arm a" and in thestandard a. At their outer ends the shafts are each furnished with acircular shear-blade, U U. The shafts and blades are so arranged andadjusted as to cause the latter to lap and press against each other, asshown in the a plan, 4 a hotdrawing. The blades are made with bevelededges, and the fiat sides of the blades are opposed to each other. Attheir inner ends, and beyond the standard a,the' shafts are eachfurnished with a spurwheel, D D, which wheels engage. The'lower shaft isextended, and, beyond the wheel 1), is furnished with another largerspur-wheel, E. F F represent two shafts, arranged side by side andlongitudinally in the frame, and having their bearings in the standardsa and a G G represent spur-wheels, fastened, respectively, to the shaftsh F, and arranged to engage. H Hrepresent two other andsmallerspur-wheels on the shafts F F, respectively, but are loosethereon. They are similarly and respectively provided with clutches,which, when the, wh eels H H are moved suit-ably against the wheels GG,engage with counterparts on the latter wheels, respectively The wheels HH do not engage with each other, but with the large wheel E below. Irepresents a lever, pivoted to the frame at t', and extending nearly, orquite, to the forward end of the arm a. At its rear end the lever isprovided with a crosspiece, J, the ends of which engage, respectively,in grooved extensions h h on the wheels H H.

By moving the forward end of the lever I to one side or the other of thearm a, the corresponding wheel H or H is made to engage with thespur-wheel G or G beside it, and the other sliding wheel H or H todisengage with the other fixed wheel G or G; and when the forward end ofthe lever is directly over the arm a neither sliding wheel is engagedwith the fixed wheels G G. K represents a band wheel or pulley, fastenedon the shaft F. L represents a fly-\vl1eel,fastened to the shaft 1",and, preferably, on an extension thereof beyond the standard tt. Mrepresents a screw, arranged vertically in the forward end of the arm a,for the purpose of adjusting vertically the upper shaft B and its bladeC. N represents a table to support the sheet while being out. It restsupon supports a a, and is constructed to move thereon, and transverselyto the line of the shafts B B, and in the following manner: On the underside of the table is attached a rack, O, in which engagesa pinion P,which is fastened to an extension of the lower shaft B, beyond the pointof the attachment of the blade 0. As the shaft B turns the table moves.Q Q represent springs, attached, respectively, at either end of thetable, on the under side, 'and which, as the table is moved in eitherdirection, encounter stops It R, at either end of the support a, andprevent the table from being carried so far in its movement as todisengage the rack and pinion. At the same time the springs yieldsufiiciently to enable the pinion to turn. S represents a set-screwpassing horizontally through the support a, and opposite the shaft B. Bymeans of this the shaft B can be moved so as to suitably adjust the.blades 0 O to each other in a horizontal direction. T represents anadjustable gage attached to the table N.

The operation of the machine is-as follows: It is set in motion by meansof a belt passing around the pulley K. This causes the shafts F F andwheels G G to turn. The cutting mechanism, however, does not come intooperation until one of the wheels H or H is, by

means of the lever I, suitably moved on its shaft, so as to come, bymeans of its clutch, into connection with the fixed wheel G or G, as thecase may be, beside it. When this is done, the movement is communicatedthrough the wheels D D E to the shafts B B and blades 0 G, and also tothe table N, causing it to move past the blades. To cut a sheet in acertain direction, let it be properly laid uponthe table, and by meansof the lever I let wheel H, for example, be connected with the wheel G.In this case the motion is communicated through the wheel H to the wheelE, while the wheel H remains loose upon its shaft. The cut having beenmade, to cut the sheet in the opposite direction it is suitably movedsidewise, and the lever I turned to the other side of the arm a. Thismovement, without stopping or checking the motion of the driving-pulley,discngages the wheel H from the wheel G, anu puts the other wheel H intoconnection with the wheel G. The driving power is then transmittedthrough the Wheel H, turning the wheel E in the opposite direction, aswell as the blades and table, and making the desired cut in the newdirection.

In cutting thick sheets of metal ponderons machinery is required, andwhen suchv ma it will be seen that the cutting apparatus can be readilycontrolled without interfering with the drix'ing power, and also cutsmay be made in different directions with but little handling of thesheet.

Should the blades wear away the proper lap can be preserved by means ofthe screw M, by turning which the upper shaft and blade are depressed.By means of the screw S the lower blade can be made to press suitablyagainst the upper blade. By reason of the position of the lever I theentire machine is brought under the control of a single operator, whocan attend to the management of thesheet,and also direct the cuttingmechanism.

Having described .my invention, what I claim is-- 1.- The combination ofthe frame A, shafts B B, wheels D D, wheel E, shafts FF, and

wheels G G and H H, operating substantially as described.

2. The combinationof the frame A, shafts B B, wheels 1) D E, shafts F F,wheels G G H H, and lever I, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the wheel E, shafts F F, pulley K, wheels G G andH H, and lever I, substantially as described.

4.. The combination of the frame A, standards a and a, shafts F F,fly-wheel L, pulley K, wheels G G H H, lever I, wheels E D D, shafts BB, and blades 0 G, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the lever I, shafts F F, wheels G G H H, and wheelE, substan tially as described.

6. The combination of the table N, supports 4?. a, rack O, pinion P,springs Q Q, and stops R R, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the table N, supports a 9%, blades 0 C, and gageT, substantially as described.

JOHN J. LUCAS. Witnesses:

LoUIs 1?. KRAFFT, JAMES F. KRAFFT.

